A Crafty New Start

Having had multiple requests for conversations around crochet and the like, I've started another parallel blog strictly dedicated to crochet. Hopefully this will make it so my crochet postings won't detract from the adorable photos of my kids!

Look for older posts of crochet from many years ago as well as some new stuff. And of course, if you have patterns to share, please feel free to post some there!

--> Click Here <-- for the crochet blog or:

http://a-crochetmama.blogspot.com/

Robin's Haircut - Before and After

Eggnog popsicles

Maggie being cute

A Small Request for Bread Recipies

I've dug out the bread machine and have been baking a loaf of bread every couple of days. But I haven't really found a recipe that I've been 100% thrilled with for slicing bread. The one I made yesterday was perfect if it were a dinner roll (dense, slightly rich) but I want something I can say "yeah, this will make a good grilled cheese" and will be fluffy enough to not fulfill a whole days carb allotment on once slice alone.

So if you would, please click on "comments" below and post your best bread recipes. My machine can make 1, 1.5, and 2 pound loaves.

Thanks everyone!

Maggie's 3 Month Photos

A fistful of friends...

Notice my attempt at "Caillou" at the very right....passable, I think. :)

The Robin project

I've mentioned a few times now that Arthur and Maggie's big Christmas projects took a lot longer to make that the one I made for Robin (which I made first) and that I now felt I needed to compensate by making him something else of similar time and skill efforts.

I've taken the astronauts from the rocket ship patterns and I've crocheted them down to just about the waist. I added a tighter row at the bottom leaving an opening. I've added arms and head accessories. I've finished three now and I'm happy to say that they're turning out to be quite a nice set of finger puppets. Pictures to follow when I get a chance to take some.

We go to bed, a family full of joy tonight.

For the first time in our short voting history of four presidential elections, instead of choosing the "lesser of the evils" we have voted for (and elected) a president who we believe is going to do great things for our country. With 100% support and joy, we are looking forward to inauguration day. This man has earned great respect from our family, because he has expressed great respect for us. And we know his ideas and values are ones that we, as a family, can get behind and we are so happy and proud to be a part of this day.

And as Arthur said into his Grammy and Gido's answering machine last night... "Go Ackabama!" It's a tough mess to fix and we don't expect miracles overnight. But we know that we are on a better road.

We are a happy family, and this choice keeps us the most protected as a family. That is most important to us and always will be.

Completed Projects

Here's Arthur's completed Rocket. I think I'm all done making him people for now. If he wants some later, I can make some more. Two astronauts with removable helmets, two aliens, and the planet Saturn.

This one is a basket pattern I got out of a magazine. It's not as stiff as I wanted it to be even though I used double strands and the right sized hook. But I'm sure I can do something good with it. I have an idea in mind of who I'd like to give it to and what I want to put in it.

This is Joanne's hat that she asked me to make from a library book pattern. She's already seen it and tried it on but she still has to wait until Christmas!

I also have a few variations of the same project that I don't want to post, because there are a couple of people I've made them for who probably peek at our blog! But they are cute!

Freaky Molar...

Robin had a rough sleeping week about a week and a half ago. There were a couple of nights he woke all night long. I looked for teeth, checked his ears. He had been to the doctor and there wasn't anything wrong with him in terms of being sick.

Today, Joanne discovered a fully grown in molar in the bottom left (his left) of his mouth. He doesn't even have the side teeth yet, and there's this freaky molar already in. And it's not just poking through, it's fully in there. I'm amazed we didn't notice it. It's kind of weird because the only visible teeth he has on the bottom are the two front ones. Usually babies get the six at the bottom before a molar shows up. Well, he's unique. And at least now we know what was probably bugging him.

Halloween (and preceding Halloween related events)

Arthur's Rocket Ship

Sometimes you can find the best crochet patterns just by poking around the internet. I just made this Rocket ship for Arthur by using a pattern from Bizzyboppers at Crochetville. (To see pattern, click here --> Pattern). A big thanks for posting that one!


I added the NASA logo on my own to make it look nice and official and I plan on making more astronauts and aliens as well as some planets. Arthur has been asking for a Rocket ship and I think this will work. It's pretty large, maybe 15" from end to end.


I was silly and took the photos at night though, and the lighting in my house can leave weird shadows sometimes. I'll take some better ones when I've completed the project entirely.

Finishing the Rocket and Maggie's doll leaves me totally convinced that Robin got cheated. His project took a lot less time and isn't nearly as well put together. I'll have to come up with something else to add to it so that the gifts are all fair in terms of time and quality.

A very unthrifty thrift store...

...When it comes to children's clothes that is. Joanne and I took a trip to the shiney new Salvation Army Family Store today in search of inexpensive and quickly-outgrown winter pajamas for the boys. Arthur needs them because he sprouts fast, and Robin needs them because he is six months behind where Arthur was his second winter.

I just wanted something warm and cheap. Design not important. But after picking out a few pairs of pilly and worn pajamas priced 5.99, Joanne and I looked at each other with a "huh?" look. You can get new pairs of the zippy pj's at the children's place in the mall for a buck more.
There were plenty of stray pajama pants priced .99-2.99. But zero tops.

Now the adult clothes have great prices. 2.99 for a blouse. 3.99 for a sweater. But it just wasn't a great bargain over in the children's clothing section. (We did find a few .99 cent wooden toys and a pair of boots for Robin though).

So we drove down the street to a regular retail store and picked up two packages of twin pack fleece pajamas for 9.48. That's 4.74 a brandy-new pair. 1.25 less each than the pilly, used ones at the thrift store.

Maybe that's where they make their big money..on kids clothes. But they are no bargain, I'll tell ya. I'll stick to shoes, books, and toys and skip the kid's clothes.

A familiar visit

Fun Filled Fall

I can't hink of any fall produce activities we didn't do this year!

It started with pumpking picking. We found a local farmstand with a pumpkin field in the back. With lots of options, it was difficult to decide on a pumpkin:



The boys each finally chose a pumpkin:

and we loaded up our wagon. We got a big pumpkin for everyone to share and a small one for Maggie, who was snuggled in her sling.

While Robin had a hard time getting his pumpkin in the wagon:

Arthur had no trouble pulling the wagon through the field and back to the farmstand:

Our next produce adventure was apple picking. We went later in the season then we wanted (too much work, rain, and failed yard sales to go earlier) so the pickings we slim. We needed Arthur's help to get the apples high up in the trees:

Robin found a short cut:While Maggie was again snuggled in her sling, sleeping quietly, the boys fully enjoyed the day out:

And even though they ate many of our findings:

We did get to bring some home:

Our next adventure was a corn maze. The boys got lost in the corn and played with their cousins. The adventure started by investigating the corn:

Maggie (again) slept in her sling, Robin rode in the stroller:

and Arthur walked the entire maze (he was a very tired boy later!):

While we certainly didn't win (in fact we were the last of our group to get to the finish line), Arthur did get to ring the bell:

And then we all played in the corn pit (think sandbox, but filled with corn kernels):

Even Maggie came out of her sling for some fun:

Robin was very happy to see her and couldn't resist a big hug:

Maybe if it was a 7 day weekend...

Usually when I pick patterns from books called "Weekend projects" or "Weekend crochet", I envision a couple of nights watching movies and boom! There's your project.



Maggie's doll is done...and I have to admit that I'm a pretty fast crocheter. I've been doing it more than twenty years. But this was no weekend project. I suppose maybe it could be if you didn't eat, sleep, or pee and never got off your couch for the full 48 hours. The body of the doll, plus hair took a good 8 hours. The dress took at least 6 more.



But a week or so later, and too much television...here it is. The downside is that I've realized that Robin's project didn't take me nearly as long so I'll have to make him something to go with it. I haven't even started Arthur's Rocket ship yet...ha ha ha

Maggie enjoying the presidential debate

Arthur's "bento" lunch..

It wasn't intentional, but he likes the arrangement so much that I'm kind of sticking with it. I had read about bento boxes and bento lunches from some internet mamas and while I thought it was cute, I also thought that it could get into the unpractical and expensive range if you let it. I had unintentionally used some cupcake (silicone) liners last week and then I remembered reading a magazine that suggested the cups for bento style lunches.



True Japanese bentos make use of certain ratios and balances..that I'd sure as heck not have the time for..ha ha ha. But my mock bento works, and my kid likes it, and he gets to eat his favorite things out of little cupcake cups that are reused over and over. What could be better than that?

What's in it, you ask? From left to right, like a book: Apple and cranberry crisp (from apples we picked today), whole wheat and cream cheese rounds (he is a crust eater, but for this purpose they fit better this way), rice and cheese balls (made out of...you guessed it..rice and cheese), more rice and cheese balls, sliced black olives, and tomatoes. The latter two cups will probably be the first eaten, believe it or not.

A "Raggie" for Maggie...and lots of fish for Robin..

I'm starting on some Christmas gifts for the kids. Shhhhh, don't tell them.